The subject matter described in this specification is directed to systems and methods for dissipating heat from sensors supporting autonomous vehicle systems. In particular, the specification describes how a housing, enclosing a sensor mounted to an exterior of a vehicle, can include heat dissipation components such as cooling fins across which conditioned cabin air and/or ambient air can be driven to convectively dissipate heat generated by the sensor.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein a first open end of the duct is configured to be positioned beneath a cosmetic cover of the vehicle.
3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the cooling fins of the heat sink are distributed radially across a surface of the heat sink.
4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a LiDAR sensor.
5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of radially distributed cooling fins arranged along a surface of a base of the heat sink.
6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the radially distributed cooling fins are configured to define a plurality of ducts, guide incoming air into a central region of the heat sink and then redirect the air axially downward through respective second open ends associated with each duct of the plurality of ducts.
7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a monitoring system configured to measure a temperature of the heat sink and change the operational state of the fan in accordance with the measured temperature of the heat sink.
9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the optically transparent sensor window comprises a cylindrical body, the cylindrical body and heat sink coupled together to define an interior volume sized to accommodate the sensor.
10. The system as recited claim 8, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of cooling fins arranged in a radial pattern across a face of the heat sink.
11. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein a first end of the heat sink is coupled to the support plate to form a cantilevered support structure configured to support the weight of the sensor.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 27, 2020
March 26, 2024
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.